Eba Kandovazu
A Swapo councilor, Hileni Idhongela rejected nomination by two IPC members, Petrus Nakanyala and David Nghifikepunye, for her as the Mayor of the Oniipa Town Council until she eventually accepted nominations from her own party members, Jafet Augustus and David Kambonde.
Patema Nakanyala of the IPC was nominated by her party members who had initially nominated Idhongela.
IPC Spokesperson Immanuel Nashinge told this publication that the party “did not send” the IPC members to nominate a Swapo councilor for Mayorship.
“These are local authority things. You are there to serve your people. I don’t know, I’m not a councilor and I’m not in Oniipa. We don’t tell them what they must go and do. When you are elected you are no longer wearing your party colors. I don’t know why they did that. They have been working together since last year,”Nashinge says.
Elia Shingenge, Oniipa Town Council Economic Davelopment and Corporate Affairs Officer says Idhogela was elected Mayor. She was previously the Deputy Mayor. She will be deputised by IPC’s Patema who previously served as an ordinary council member. Augustus retains his position as Management Committee Chairperson while Kambonde, the previous Mayor has also been elected onto the Management Committee.
Nghifikepunye, according to Shingene retains his position on the Management Committee. Petrus retains his position as ordinary Council member while Selma Namuhuya of Swapo also retains her position as ordinary Council member.
“My pledge is that my office will be open to every citizen and I avail myself to listen to you all. Therefore, let us bind hands together to render quality services our residents. We can only achieve these if we put our personal agendas and infightings aside so that we can focus on how best we can develop our town further and complete all our pending projects for the betterment of our beautiful town,”Idhongela says.
